Pants pressing machine



`Nov. lo', 1953 s, ROSENTHAL 2,658,649

PANTS PRESSING MACHINE Filed Sept. 20, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet l 61 66 19 62 I 63 I 67 Il Q .v g2 L i 72 16 73 63 47 I 69 44 SAMUEL ROSENTHAL A TORNE'YS NOV. 10, 1953 5 ROSENTHAL 2,658,649

PANTS PRESSING MACHINE Filed Sept. 20. 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR. MUE L BOSE /V' HAL BY w/ A TTOPNE YS Nov. 10, 1953 s, ROSENTHAL 2,658,649

PANTS PRESSING MACHINE Filed Sept. DA 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 RM 'v X9 .I0 ,f Q `ff y f J Y 1,/5 k

IN VEN TOR.

EOSEN'l/AL A TTOENE YS Nov. 10, 1953 s. ROSENTHAL 2,658,649

PANTS PREssING MACHINE Filed Sept. 20, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 x11-Alm A TAM SUPPLY /43 /08 IN V EN TOR. JAMUE L E055 N THAL ATTOENEYS Patented Nov. 10, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in pressing wearing apparel, and is particularly concerned with a process and apparatus for pressing the top portion, that is, the waist and seat, of overalls, dungarees, and similar garments.

The invention contemplates a special purpose laundry machine which is designed to perform the pressing operations referred to above With greater economyand dispatch than other machines heretofore constructed. The inventionfurther contemplates a machine which will remove the Wrinkles from the cloth in portions of the garment which have heretofore been neglected in laundry and cleaning work of this type, due to the inadequacy of the pressing equipment in current use.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my application, Serial No. 95,447, filed May 26, 1949, now Patent No. 2,629,524, dated Feb. 24,

The cleaning and laundry industry is highly developed and in industrial centers certain establishments specialize in handling work clothes; moreover, certain concerns rent working garments, including the laundry service thereon.

Garments such as overalls must be pressed after they are washed in order to be attractive and acceptable to the customers. Of course, standards in this line are not the same as those for dress and business clothes, but a reasonable degree of nish and neatness is required. However, laundry work of shop clothes is generally conducted on a contract basis, which is competitive as to price; hence, any economics that may be realized in the operative cycle of the washing and pressing are of great importance.

W ith the machines now in use, the leg portions of a pair of trousers may be pressed in an economical and ei'icacious manner. The upper portion of the garment, however, is much more troublesome, and, with known pressing equipment, requires from ve to seven separate operations, depending uponthe favored technique.

The present invention stems from a different approach to the problem, the new principle compri-sing the method of stretching the top portion oi the garments on an expansible heated form oi the general contour of the garment.

The principal object of the invention is to press garments in a more satisfactory manner than has been possible heretofore, to provide a machine which lwill facilitate a high rate of production, to minimize handling of the garment, and to realize greater speed and economy.

A further object of the invention is to ,provide a machine which will safeguard the buttoned, or otherwise attached, elements of the garment.

Another object of this invention is to provide a pressing machine having a heated expansible form which will uniformly stretch and heat the cloth while it is being pressed and dried.

A further object of this invention is to provide a pressing machine which is capable of pressing tubular garments in a single operation irrespective of the shape or size thereof.

Another object of this invention is to provide a pressing machine having a heated expansible form for pressing trousers and the like which has a manually manipulable clamping plate for holding the closure portion of the trousers while the power clamping plate moves into engagement therewith.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a pressing machine having a heated expansible sectional form, the movable parts of the .form being suspended and held in position by fiexible members in such a Way that the shape of the form during the pressing operation is determined by the shape of the garment, thus achieving uniform stretch in the material which will return the garment to the original size.

The manner in which these objects are realized, as well as certain ancillary objects, will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the description herein of the preferred embodiment of the invention and the accompanying drawings, in which: i

Fig. l is a side view of the pressing machine;

Fig. 2 is a View in perspective of the same from the front;

Fig. 3 is a view of a fragmentary portion of the machine illustrating the pressing head in section;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section of the pressing head, the section being taken on the plane indicated by the line @-4 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a transverse view of the pressing head taken on a plane indicated by the line 5--5 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a schematic plan view illustrating the pressing of a shirt;

Fig. 7 is a side elevational view of a modified form of the pressing machine;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary front view of the top portion of the modied form of the machine looking in the direction of the arrows 8-'8 in Fig. 7;

-Fig. 9 is a side view of one of the forms partiaily cutaway to show the supporting mechanism;

Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IIJ- I in Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional View similar to Fig. 10 showing the forms extended to the pressing position;

Fig. 12 is a top view of the pressing machine with parts removed; and

Fig. 13 is a front View of the forms with a portion thereof Hcut away .to show-an ;-alternateVv arrangementrof the internal mechanism.

Referring rst to Fig. 1, the machine preferably includes a base or stand I I having a pressing head I2 mounted thereon at a height which will afford the most convenient manipulation'o'f :thegarment. The pressing head I2 comprises acentralr form I3 and side forms I4, which constitute a partial torso conned generallyl to the usual .shape of a pair of trousers from the waistbandto a point slightly beyond -the crotch. `The 'inner form I3 may be fixed tothe base II in any suitablenannextas,for-example,J through the-angle "ment andthus eliminate thed wrinkles in the en- Yjgagedfportion*of'the garment. The form'sections "are"hollow, eachbeing'connected'to a source'of Ysteam through* which theyare heated.

' The 'exact' shape of the forms may vai-yin accordance with'thestyle of 'garment-to' be pressed,

"but "'it has .been foundthatvr a'- torso block of the v'type' illustrated 'herein is `satisfactory -for a wide l"variety of `garments', sincethe exible'isupport of -the'parts of" the form "accommodates appreciable .variation in the size and style of the garments.

` :'Iheinner formisprovided with inlet and outlet 4steam pipesl IT and I'8 (Fig."3) and the outer -forms are c'onnected'to -the steam supply line through'flexible'hose'sections'I9 (Fig. l), tapped openings 2| and22 (Fig.'4)being provided in the "castingsforthefittings therefor. The forms are `fprLoVide'd with pipe "plugs'"23` of the usual type for closing'thelcoreopenings which, vas shown, are

y, preferably iisposedin ythe forward 'end of the castmgs. The sidewalls of the outer'forms I4 2 are Arounded and"'tapertoward` the waistband, the inner endi'portion -2 4 `thereof "being of "sufficient lengthtoassure theV support kof the waistband of "the garment. v"'ihei'nner formI3is generally of the form of a rectangular parallelepiped, the upper'andlower surfaces, howeverfbeing k'convex anditherforward end' being bifurcated to provide a vertical arcuate notch 26 for the receptionof itheicrotch"ofthe-garment. Ther-central form I3 A tuating channel plates 3 I, the inner ends of which f are disposedwithinthe transverse passage 28 in "the form I3.v A Vf-shaped cam..32v formed with converging vslotsl iiitheface thereofis mounted between the armsof the channel plates onpins T34. V"As will be apparent, 'forward movement Aof "the cam urgesthe forms I4 apart as"iliustrated in Fig. 4, and reverse movement thereof 'effectu- "ates-the retractionor closure ofthe form so that '#thegarmentsvmay'be readilyittedthereoveror removed therefrom. The cam 32 is coupled-with" 4 an actuating rod 31 by a pin or bolt 348 passing through a clevis in the end of the rod. The rod 31 is connected through linkage to a doubleacting pneumatic cylinder 4I (Fig. 1). The units 5 of the pneumatic system through which the cylinder is actuated and the cylinder itself may be of any commercial form, and therefore will not be described in detail herein. Preferably, the cylinder 4I is, fed fromasource of.air,under pres- "su're through ailine 42 which iszprovided with a water trap 43, a pressure-regulating valve 44, and a foot-operated reversing control valve 46. The `valve 46 is connected to the cylinder through confduits'i'mwliich are organized to effect the move- .mentof thel piston rod 48 in either direction and also'effect the support of the piston in a raised or Azlowered:position:under the control of the operator. .The cylinder 4I may be pivotally mounted "on a" bracket 49 fixed to the base II, and the upper end of the piston rod is guided in a sleeve f15lwhich-isfpivotally c'onnecte'dto` a clevison the Veend-ofan-arm 52. f-The arm52 f is fulcrumed' in- :terme'diate its-'ends lon.a pin53'supp0rted in a `bracket ABlf-extending upwardly from-thelbase of thebr-acket 11:6. "The outer-end of -the1armf52 l`-supportsya plateiprovided Awith apa'd51 of `felt or otheryieldable material. 'The plate' 5B-is V-fpivotallyimounted on-thearm through a pin'58. The `sleevevi I --supports a compression spring "6I---which:norm-ally'furges a shoulderl-SZ ronthe `piston rod-'againstacollarl63'securedto the lower --end-ofl'thesleeve. lThe :spring 16| is designed v-to -outweighfthe-eiort "required to actuate lthe farm 252 but. toi-yield -Whenf-the .pad- 51 4is-firmly engaged '35- Iwithi'theform-'I'3. Thus theinitial distentionof the piston rod 48 will move the pad-1 into -engaged relation-witlrv th-face of thef form and ncontinued 'mo'vementof thepiston willfbe affordedrby compression fof Lthe'spring. 40 The piston rod 48 is also coupled to the cam "132 `through-'alost Y'motionmech-anism which is vvdesignedtoeitect the-actuation offthe cam' plate "-SZY-aterthe VpadiS'I'-isiengaged-With the-form I3. ThezrodlM' forl-actuatinglthe cam ris pivotally connected to ailink-l66which in turnis pivoted upon an= armf'l rrotatable onv a horizontal shaft #68.* Theshaftf' is-supp'orted in suitable brackets 'f89^mou"nted on their-ame I I. Thevarm-61 `is @-disposed'between a-pair of 'forksII and 12' formed 4in abell-"crank I-31whichy is 'freely rotatable about the? shaft'b. Y'-'Ihe ifree'- ends of the forks are provided with lugs 'or'oiisetport-ions designed for V"abutting engagement-with the arm 61. The outerl Varmofthe bll'crank-is 'formed' with a slot there- A iin for-'fthe' reception of` apin "I4 mounted'inthe piston rod 48. y'Ihr,1s;-as the piston rod is ele- -vated-fromfits-lower=posit-ion-(Fig. 1) lthe cam "platel 3,2k will -not Lbe actuated until'the arm "II lisA broughtintoeengagementi with the` `arm l-IL -whichfasrpointed outabove, is subsequent to the 'engagementofithe'padil with the garment lon -`thefpressingform. -When lthe vcylinder is ,re-

versedto'accommodate'the removal'of the pressed 'fgarmentg thearm'TZ will La-but* the Avopposed side ofthearml and effect the retraction of thelcam.

A'spring 4clip^orsimilar clampv 8l may be prol*'videdatdheinnercnd 'of the formv to retain'the y waistband of`the"'gatrment untilthe pad'51 is -engageditherewith and Lthe "side blocks 'of the 7 Oformcare `distended.

` 4PlatesV 82 Aofsheet metal maybe disposed over i the -gap` between 'the' inner and. outer forms Tand -secured"'to-the"inner form, toY prevent garments from sagging betweenthev forms asltheyjclose andebing; thus-caught.

In operation, the machine is prepared for use by first heating the forms, preferably by circulating steam therethrough, although other forms of heating may be employed. A pair of trousers or a similar garment having a divided tubular portion therein is next slipped over the forms in the position indicated by the broken lines in Fig. l. The garment is arranged on the form with the front uppermost, and with the divided sections thereof buttoned or held together by a slide fastener or so-called zipper. The garment is advanced on the form until the waistband is brought to the inner end of the form. This operation merely entails slipping the garment over the forms, and may be accomplished with ease and dispatch. The valve 4B may then be opened by actuation of the foot treadle associated therewith, this operation causing the pad 51 to descend against the closure of the garment, over the buttons or slide fastener, and thereafter effecting the lateral distention of the blocks I4. The pressure exerted by the clamping pad 51 will prevent mutilation of the slide fasteners, tearing of the garment, or strain upon the buttons or buttonholes. If the edges of the divided portion of the garment are arranged in parallel relation to each other and within the area covered by the pad, the pressing operation may be performed without the necessity of buttoning or otherwise closing the opening. The pressure and heat of the form against the garment dries and presses the material, and when this operation is concluded, the operator may actuate valve 46 to collapse the form and elevate the clamp in order to accommodate the removal of the garment from the form.

The valve 46 may be provided with a catch (not shown) to hold the valve open during the drying and pressing period.

Since the operation of applying and removing the trousers requires but very little time, a single operator can easily operate a battery of machines by assembling a garment on a first machine, operating the valve and setting the catch, turning to a second or third machine and repeating the operation, and finally returning to the first machine where he may release the valve catch and renew the cycle of operation.

Although reference is made in the foregoing description to pressing operations on the upper portion of trousers, it will be recognized that the principle of the invention may be utilized in press ing any divided tubular portion of a garment such, for example, as the body of a shirt, jacket, or jumper, the cuff of a sleeve or underwear of the type that is fashioned with buttoned edge portions.

In the application of the invention to such wearing apparel, the pad 5'! may, if necessary, be modified as to length, and the forms I3 and lll configured to conform to the style and size of the garment. This is illustrated in Fig. 6, in Which the forms I3 and I4 press the shirt body and the pad 51 is long enough to hold down the edges of the shirt, which may be buttoned or unbuttoned. The actuation of the forms and pad may be as described above.

The pivotal connections between the outer forms and the cam are relatively free, and liberal clearance is provided between the channel plates 3| and the passage 28 so the outer forms may rock or oat to a limited degree and thus conform to the pattern of the garment.

A modified form of my invention is disclosed in Figs. 7-13, inclusive, and referring first to Fig. 7, the machine preferably includes a base and stand |0| having a pressing head |02 mounted on a beam |03 which is joined to the stand |`0`| to support the pressing head |02 at a height which will afford convenient manipulation of the garment and at a distance from the stand to provide clearance for placing the garment around the rearV of the pressing head |02. The pressing head |02 is similar to the pressing head i2 in that it constitutes a partial torso shape having the general shape of a pair of trousers from the waist band to a point slightly beyond the crotch. The center form |06 is affixed to the beam its by cap screws or bolts. The outer forms it and |00 are disposed in contiguous relation with the side walls of the center form E04 when the forms are in the at-rest position for receiving the garment to be pressed. The forms |06, |05 and |06 are generally hollow for receiving steam under pressure for heating the forms to evaporate moisture from the damp garmentplaced thereon.

The steam connections for supplying the heating steam to the hollow forms are indicated in Fig. l2, the steam being supplied to the machine through supply conduit |08 which is connected to outer form |05. An interconnecting conduit idd communicates with hollow form It and the center form |04. A second connecting conduit l i joins the center form |04 and the outer form |65. A return conduit is connected to the outer form |05 and conducts the steam condensate through the steam trap H2 to the boiler return i l 3. it can be seen that a continuous path is provided for the steam through each of the forms, it being necessary to incorporate the usual dip tube (not shown) ineach form for removing the condensate therefrom. Since the forms iii-5 and 05 move relative to form |04 and to each other, it is essential that the conduits |08, |02, M0 and ill be flexible to accommodate change in position.

The center form |04 is hollow to receive the operating mechanism which carries the outer forms |05 and Hitand produces the movement thereof laterally in relation to the center form |04. The forms |05 and |06 are suspended on linkages ||4 which are swingably mounted to the center form |04 at the upper ends by eyebolts H5. The eye-bolts ||5 are threaded into the form |04 and provide swivel action for the linkages ||4 by allowing rotation and swinging thereof. Similar eye-bolts I5 join the lower end of the linkages ||4 to the side forms |05 and |06. Similar swivel action is obtained at the lower end of the linkages by the use of the eye-bolts |||i threaded into the outer forms |05 and |06. The linkages ||4 function to carry the lower portion of the outer forms |05 and |05 in an arcuate path and restrain their movement in a vertical direction only.

A spring extends between arms IIB which are xed to each linkage H4, respectively. The spring biases the linkages H4 toward each other and thereby bias the lower portions of the outer forms |05 and |05 into. contiguous relationship with the center .form |04. A second spring H9 connects the upper portions of the outer forms |05 and |06 and biases the upper portions of the outer forms toward the center form |04.

An air motor |20 having a cylinder |2| and piston rod assembly |22 is disposed between the outer forms |05 and |06. A ball-shaped end |23 is affixed tothe cylinder |2| and'engages the outer form |06 in a complementary socket |24 disposed slightly below the lateral centerline of the outer form |06. A second ball end |25 is mounted on the end of the piston rodv |22 and engages the.

cieca-649 socket |26 for-med inthe-outer form 105 opposite to the socket |24. Introduction-of air -underpressure through the -supply line |21 lcauses vthe :piston to move in the cylinder, lthi-1s -i-ncreasing lthe distance between the outer forms i| land |03, causing them to move laterally -relati-ve to `the center form |04.

A plate |28 for .holding the closure portionof 'the trousers during the-pressing operation is nex- -ibly mounted on an .arm `|29 Afor movement toward and away from -the-center form |04. A-leaf spring |30 having vthe usual arch is disposed between the plate and the arm for the resilience necessary to accommodate different thicknesses of garment material -to be pressed.

The arm |29 is Aslidavbly mounted -in-a -bracket I3| -ai-xed to the beam |03. lA'linkage |32, pivotally joined to the arm |29 and the beam |03, -respectively, carries theend of the arm |29 opposite to the plate in an arcuate vpath as it is moved .laterally ofthe machine. The arcuate movement produced by the linkage |32 results in a :vertical movement of the plate vduring the clamping process, the plate -moving upwardly after the .garment is engaged, thus insuring the proper position of the garment on the forms, An angle 'bracket |33, extending laterally from the arm through a foot-treadle -controlvalve |39 from a source "of pressurized air |38 through vline |49. Whenthe treadle'valve |391is operatedfair passes through cylinder |35, thus actuating "the piston which moves through its path pf travel inthe cylinder. When the Piston jpasses the port '|"31, air entersfthe line 2f1 andis conductedtoptheair 'motor |30, ksequential operation of .the plate |28 andthe separation `of therforms |05 and 106 being Vobtained by the series connections -vtlrlroug'li the cylinder |35.

A Ymanual garment -holding plate 4| 'having .a thin cross section is disposed between -theupper portion of the plate |28 and the centerform |04. The plate |4| is rotatably mounted on :the '6nd of the beam |03 by a shaft |42 which extends laterally of the beam and has a handle l|'43 valflixed thereto. A coil spring |44 biases the plate `|'4| away from the center form |04 .when it is not in use.

In the alternate `arrangement of vparts shown in Fig. 13, the spring ||1 .is located beneath the air motor |20 and `has the ends thereof ,affixed 'to the forms |05 and |06 .by the pins |45. VThis arrangement -of the spring relative to the airmotor |20 facilitates the maintenance of the air motor -|20 and Abalances the force required fromspring |1 with the force required from spring |18', thus obtaining interchangeability of these parts.

Thelcenter 'form |04 thas the lower :end :bifurcated to .provide Lanarcuate .notch |41 similar Lto 'notch :26 for freceiving 4zthe .crotch portion .o'f the garment. Thesidespfrtheinotch M1 lare ared outwardly Atoward the side forms |05 .and dus to conform `(to the zusual lshrnie auf ithat'aportion -.O.f @a reir-.ef tresses which is fin-engagement with .the

lower end of .the pressing form. The center form |04 vis hollow adjacent tothe notch .|41, the walls of :the notch ybeing relativelythin to provide heating bythe steam at vthe required rate for Apressing anddrying thecrotch portion-of the garment as it is `stretched bythe movement of side forms |05 and |06.

'In operation, the alternate form of this invention functions similarly to the preferred form in that the garment is slipped over the form until the waist band isbrought to the upper-end thereof andthe crotch of the garment is in engagement with the notch |41. The crotch is held tightly against the inner portion ofthe notch v| 41 during the actuati-on of the treadle valve |39 which causes -the -plate |28 :to clamp the closure portion of the garment against the center form, thus holding the divided portion of the garment against separation during the pressing and stretching operation while holding the crotch portion in contact with the notch |41. The garment is necessarily pressed and dried in the crotch portion since the movement of the side forms draws the inner portion of the legs thereof into tight engagement with the walls of the notch |41. By virtue of the sequential operation provided by the port in the side of the cylinder |35, the plate |28 is necessarily in clamping position before the air motor |20 actuates the outer forms |05 and |06 intro stretching position. The provision of the auxiliary manual clamping plate |4| allows the operator to place the garment on the forms with the closure portion of the gar- -ment overlapping beneath the plate |4|. The garment may then be held in position by using handle |43 to rotate-the plate |4| into contact with the garment which will 'provide suflicient holding friction to maintain the garment in position while the ltreadle is operated to -bring the plate |28 Vinto clamping position. The use of the manual clamping .plate eliminates the possibility of injury to the operator by catching the lingers between the power operated plate |28 and the center form |04. Further, it is possible to obtain the optimum overlap rather than an excessive overlapwhich is requiredto maintain the lingers clear while the power clamping means is operated without benefit of the manual clamping plate |4I.

The air motor ,|20 operating at substantially the lateral centerline of the outer forms with the swivel effect obtained bythe ball vends |23 and |25 produces uniform stretching inthe garment. Since the outer forms |05 and |06 .are restrained in a vertical direction only, they are free to ro,- tate or tilt to assume the shape of the portion of the garment in contact therewith. .Asindicated in Fig. 11, the outer form may Vtake the dottedline .position |46 since no Irestraint is made on the final position other .than the garment thereon. Further, the swiveling of the linkages ||.4 allows ,the outer forms .|05 and |06 to move into non-parallel positionsas required by the stretch .ing operati-on. By .having a completely .ilexible assembly, and by locating the lateral .thrust line substantially at the lateral ycenterline of the outer forms, uniform Vstretching is 4obtained .throughout the .portion of the garment in engagement with 4the .pressing form. The garment is thereby returned to the original size and all portions of the `material are held in intimate contact with the heated form which `decreases the drying time by improving vthe heat conduction from the heated form'tothedamp material of thev garment.

The springs and ||9 have only sufficient biasing strength to overcome the friction in the mechanism and return the outer forms and |06 to the position contiguous to the center form |04 when the air pressure is removed from the air motor |20. The nished garment may then be removed and a garment to be pressed may be installed on the device without further adjustment.

Although the foregoing description is necessarily of a detailed character, in order that the invention may be completely set forth, it is to be understood that the specific terminology is not intended to be restrictive or coniining, and that various rearrangements of parts and modifications of detail may be resorted to without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as herein claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A machine for pressing the top portion of trousers and the like comprising a heated center form configured to shape the central part of the trousers, and outer heated forms coniigured to shape the right and left parts of the said top portion of the trousers, said trousers being in circumjacent relationship to said forms, mechanism intermediate said outer forms for shifting said outer forms with respect to the center form into engagement with the trousers, a shiftable clamping plate for holding the closure portion of the trousers against the center form, and a second manual clamping plate intermediate said rst clamping plate and the center form for holding said closure portion of the trousers while said iirst clamping plate is moving into engagement with the trousers.

2. A machine for pressing the top portion of trousers and the like comprising a heated center form configured to shape the central part of the trousers, and outer heated forms configured to yshape the right and left parts of the said top portion of the trousers, said trousers being in circumjacent relationship to said forms, mechanism intermediate said outer forms for shifting said outer forms with respect to the center form into engagement With the trousers, a shiftable clamping plate for holding the closure portion of the trousers against the center form, power means for actuating said clamping plate, and a second manual clamping plate intermediate said first clamping plate and the center form for holding said closure portion of the trousers while said rst clamping plate is being moved into engagement with the trousers by said power means.

3. A machine for pressing the top portion of trousers and the like comprising a heated center form congured to shape the central part of the trousers, and outer heated forms congured to shape the right and left parts of the said top portion of the trousers, said trousers being in circumjacent relationship to said forms, mechanism intermediate said outer forms for shifting said outer forms with respect to the center form into engagement with the trousers, a shiftable clamping plate for holding the closure portion of the trousers against the center form, power means for actuating said clamping plate, and a second manual clamping plate intermediate said rst clamping plate and the center form for holding said closure portion of the trousers While said rst clamping plate is moving into engagement with the trousers, said second clamping plate lbeing pivotally mounted on said center form.

4. A machine for pressing the top portion of trousers comprising a heated center form configured to shape the upper part of the garment including the crotch and a portion of each leg, and outer heated forms congured to shape the outer sides of said upper part of the garment and the outer sides of said leg portions, said trousers being disposed in circumambient relation to said forms, the center form defining an arcuate crotch section and divergent leg sections for stretching the crotch portion of the garment, linkage uniting the side and central portions of the forms, a fluid ram for moving the side portions relative to the central portion and relative to each other, and a clamp biasing the crotch of the garment into intimate engagement with the crotch portion of the center form.

5. A machine for pressing the top portion of trousers comprising a heated center form configured to shape the upper part of the garment including the crotch and a portion of each leg, and outer heated forms configured to shape the outer sides of said upper part of the garment and the outer sides of said leg portions, said trousers being disposed in circumambient relation to said forms, linkage uniting the side and central portions of the forms, a uid ram for moving the side portions relative to the central portions and relative to each other, and a clamp biasing the crotch of the garment into intimate engagement with the center form thereby holding said garment in pressing relationship with the center form as said side forms move into pressing position.

6. A machine for pressing the top portion of trousers comprising a heated center form cong-ured to shape the upper pair of the garment including the crotch and a `portion of each leg, and outer heated forms congured to shape the outer sides of said upper part of the garment and the outer sides of said leg portions, said trousers being disposed in circumambient relation to said forms, linkage uniting the side and central portions of the forms, a fluid ram for moving the side portions relative to the central portions and relative to each other, a clamp biasing the crotch of the garment into intimate engagement with the center form thereby holding said garment in pressing relationship with the center form as said side forms move into pressing position, and actuating mechanism for moving the clamp through a path of travel for drawing the garment into crotch engaging position as the side forms move relative to the center forms.

SAMUEL ROSENTHAL.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. '7,166I Braun May 16, 1876 2,065,235 Matthews Dec. 22, 1936 

